Evaluation of the San Diego-based University’s VA-funded employment support program shows strong outcomes in career placement and wage growth across a range of industries
SAN DIEGO, CA (November 6, 2025) — National University (NU), a nonprofit, Veteran-founded institution serving more than 50,000 nontraditional, working, and military students annually, today announced results from an initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide career readiness, employment training, and placement support for returning veterans, service members and military spouses. Based at the university’s Spectrum Business Park campus in San Diego, the Veteran and Military Community Center (VMCC) serves as a statewide hub for Veterans and military spouses pursuing careers in education and cybersecurity.
“Veterans and their families possess extraordinary leadership, discipline, and resilience — qualities every employer needs,” said Meg O’Grady, senior vice president for military and government affairs at National University. “But they also face unique challenges in translating those experiences into civilian terms. Through this grant, we’ve been able to provide targeted, hands-on career support that bridges that gap. When it comes to supporting those who served, our mission never stops.”
Each year, more than 200,000 service members make the transition from military to civilian life—a transition that can be challenging to navigate. Thousands more military spouses and dependents make similar shifts, working to build stable, fulfilling careers as their families adjust to life beyond the military.
To help meet the demand for career services among returning Veterans and military families across California, NU launched the VMCC in late 2024. To date, the program has served more than 1,562 Veterans and military spouses—nearly double its original target—and helped 314 participants secure new jobs with earnings 20% to 30% above national averages for Veterans and military spouses transitioning to civilian careers.
The VMCC provides personalized advising and career coaching, access to tuition benefits, résumé and interview support, job training and employment readiness services, connections to civilian employment opportunities, and other support services to ease the transition from military to civilian life. Participants also receive assistance with translating their military experience, attaining certifications, and earning family-sustaining wages. In addition, the center integrates child care, wellness, and food security support through NU’s Whole Human Education™ model that helps Veterans and spouses address the full range of challenges associated with career transitions.
Funded by the VA’s Veteran and Spouse Transitional Assistance Grant Program, the VMCC is part of a broader effort by NU to strengthen pathways from service to civilian success. The university partnered with PsychArmor, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Hiring Our Heroes, and FASTPORT to deliver a coordinated suite of services that combine education, workforce readiness, and wraparound family support.
“For more than 50 years, National University has stood shoulder to shoulder with service members and their families, helping them build their next chapters with purpose,” said Dr. Mark D. Milliron, president of NU. “These outcomes remind us what’s possible when we match military talent with the right mix of learning, credentials, and confidence—turning service into success in civilian life.”
Since its founding by a retired Navy captain in 1971, NU has served as a national leader in military and Veteran education. Today, more than half of NU’s undergraduates are active-duty service members, Veterans, or dependents. The university is recognized as a Gold Status Military Friendly® School and Top 10 Military Friendly Spouse School, reflecting its ongoing commitment to military service members, veterans, and their families. NU also offers specialized programs such as the Veterans Victory Scholarship, and membership in SALUTE, the national honor society for student veterans. On-site and virtual centers connect students with academic, financial, and personal support.
The university recently launched the ANDers Movement™, a national initiative celebrating students balancing work, family, military service and other roles, and is classified as an “Opportunity University” by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for its commitment to access and strong workforce outcomes for nontraditional and military-connected learners.
About National University: National University, a Veteran-founded nonprofit, has been dedicated to meeting the needs of nontraditional, working, and military students by providing accessible, affordable higher education opportunities since 1971. As San Diego’s largest private nonprofit university, NU offers over 150 online and on-campus programs with flexible four-week and eight-week classes and one-to-one graduate education models designed to help students reach their goals while balancing busy lives. Since its founding, the NU community has grown to 130,000 learners served per year—50,000 degree-seeking students and 80,000 workforce and professional development students—and 250,000 alumni around the globe, many of whom serve in helping industries such as business, education, health care, cybersecurity, and law and criminal justice. To learn more about National University’s new possibilities in education including next-generation education, value-rich education, and whole human education, visit NU.edu.
